Original German WWII Luftwaffe Officer Schirmmütze Visor Crush Cap by Alleste - Size 59

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good condition Luftwaffe Officer's Schirmmütze Visor Cap by Alleste of Berlin, a known and desirable maker of these caps. An honest lightly used example with a wonderful swept back shape. It has the classic crusher cap "saddle-form" appearance which we all love, with the standard high front.

This Officer's Schirmmütze Visor Cap was a very high quality manufactured visor. Fabricated in Luftwaffe blue gray Fliegerblau (Flyer's Blue) "whipcord" weave wool, with a wide black ribbed wool cap band, plus three rows of fine silver bullion piping around the circumference. The cap is decorated with the correct metal insignia, including a finely-detailed aluminum eagle on the peak, and an aluminum oak leaf wreath with stylized wings and central painted tri-color cockade on the band. These are in very good condition, though the paint on the cockade is a bit worn. The officer's bullion chinstrap is in great shape, as are the pebbled silvered buttons that hold it in place.

The visor on this cap is the standard "vulcanfibre" with black patent faux leather stitched around the edge, and a green underside. The top of the visor has a lovely pattern of crazing and checking from age, and the edge trim is well retained, though a section on the under side is missing, and the stitching is popped in several areas.

The interior is also lined with soft blue cotton, which does have some staining, but no tears or major damage. The celluloid diamond sweat shield at the top is completely missing, along with almost all of the stitching for it. The makers name and address is however still fully visible:

Alleste
Berliner Uniform - Mützenfabrik
Berlin - S W
Wilhelmstraße 110

The sweatband is made from pressed paper faux leather, and is in fair condition, showing numerous tears through the material, which becomes quite delicate as it ages.

Overall condition is very good, especially the exterior, which shows very little in the way of wear, and no mothing that we can see. The bullion piping is free of fraying, and the chinstrap is also great. A truly quality Luftwaffe officer cap of the later-war style with metal cockade and eagle. Ready to display!

The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.